


Stamps

by crossstitchedhorizons



Series: Return to Sender [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akechi is tired literally all the time, Akechi is touch deprived, Akira is one (1) flirty boi, Both Akechi and Akira are bad at feelings, Fluff, Hurt No Comfort, M/M, Unresolved Romantic Tension, and it doesn't get any better, surprise it's sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:53:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22250605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crossstitchedhorizons/pseuds/crossstitchedhorizons
Summary: “Is it a crime to want to stand next to you, detective?”“Keep it up and I’ll arrest you for stealing my heart, Kurusu-kun.” Oh damn, flirting with the detective was fun, but receiving flirtation in return was even better. They were just having fun, Akira had convinced himself the butterflies he felt was just the exhilaration of flirting with the detective trying to put him in jail. The train began to move, knocking them both off balance. Akira’s free hand gripped Akechi’s waist to help him balance. Akechi gave him a polite smile and a quiet thanks in return, adjusting his grip on the overhead bar. He glanced around at the few other passengers who were paying no attention at all.“Are you accusing me of being a Phantom Thief, detective?” Akira asked with a small smirk. Akechi turned back to him with a pleased look on his face.“I’m not ruling out the possibility. Now hush, we’re on a train.”A collection of five (5) scenes between August and November in which Akira felt like he was getting closer to Akechi. It wouldn't be the first time he was wrong.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Series: Return to Sender [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1601773
Comments: 10
Kudos: 110
Collections: Quality Persona Fics





	Stamps

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is a collection of five (5) scenes that take place chronologically at different times spanning from late August to November and exists to demonstrate and highlight how Akira and Akechi's relationship changed over time. All canon events are true. This is part 1 of 2 (and maybe more someday who knows), so if it feels incomplete, that's probably why. The purpose of this part 1 is really just to set the tone and give background for part 2 which is currently being written. To be honest, this fic started as something else but was eventually repurposed after characters decided they didn't want to do what I wanted them to do lol
> 
> If you're here for fluff, this isn't the fic for you. There is fluff in here, but not consistently. Maybe just read the first 4 scenes if you wanna avoid tension??
> 
> This is the first fic I've ever written and published onto the internet for the world to see, so that's neat, I guess.  
> You can find me on Twitter @stitchedhorizon

Upon retrospect, it really wasn't that weird. Akechi's hectic schedule made finding a free piece of his time quite a feat, so when Akira received an invitation via text message from the detective the night prior, he made sure to clear his evening to accommodate. He didn't mind, some people just took more effort to spend time with than others.

That's the thing, though. When Akechi asked if he was free, Akira expected the detective to ask for a billiards partner or even a study partner at some restaurant the brunette had heard about on the internet.

Akira was surprised when, after showing up to the Buchiko statue in Shibuya at 7 PM like they agreed, Akechi flashed him his patented Award-Winning Smile #4, one in his arsenal of 7 distinct fake smiles Akira has counted so far, and led him towards the train station.  
Half an hour later, Akira found himself seated next to Akechi on a bench in Inokashira Park with dusk fast approaching...eating a crêpe. A really damn good crêpe, but nevertheless.

Hmmm... No, that wasn't what was weird. The weird part was how quiet Akechi was. Usually, the detective was quite chatty, which suited Akira just fine since he wasn't one to start conversations anyway. Tonight, however, Akira found himself making small talk on more than one occasion. Ever since they had boarded the train, it seemed like Akechi was slowly deflating like a balloon leaking helium.

Actually, maybe he really was deflating.. Akira glanced up at the boy next to him to see him holding his half eaten dessert in his lap, his shoulders drooped and a little hunched.  
Akira turned his attention back to his crêpe, saving a strawberry from falling onto his lap.

"This crêpe is really good. It's a little off the beaten path, where did you find out about that shop?" the raven asked, going for another bite of his own. A few seconds passed with no response. Akira looked back towards Akechi, who had only slumped down further, his hair hanging in his face from this angle. "Akechi-kun?" Nothing. "Uh...hey." Akira gave him a nudge with his elbow. The brunette perked up immediately, humming in response, his free hand reaching up to rub his forehead.

"Did you say something?.." Akechi asked, turning his sleepy gaze toward Akira. The raven observed crimson eyes blink quickly, Akechi attempting collect himself. It was hard to tell in the early evening light, but Akira thought maybe he could see shadows pulling at Akechi's lower lashes. Oh, he was tired.

"I asked how you heard of the crêpe shop," Akira answered, unable to hide the little smile on his lips at watching Akechi attempt to wrestle his sleepiness away, "it's really good."

"Oh, yeah." Akechi leaned back on the bench, raising his dessert up to take a good look at it. Akira felt a blush creep up his ears watching the detective prince smile fondly at the confection he was holding. A real smile. Briefly, the raven hoped that Akechi would smile like that more often...and maybe at him instead of a sugary snack. "It was recommended to me on a blog."

"Your food blog?" Akira smiled, before popping the last bite of his in his mouth, staring back at Akechi who had given him an incredulous look.

"You know about that?"

Akira nodded in response, chewing and swallowing before replying with "I like to know what people are up to." Ah, there it was, Award-Winning Smile #5. Shoot. One day, he'll win against the crêpe.

"I'm honored. It was recommended to me a few weeks ago, but I haven't had the chance to come out here myself. I've been very busy over summer vacation, as you know."

"I can see that. Nearly falling asleep on a park bench has kept you real busy." Akira smiled, reaching for his water bottle and taking a sip. It was late enough in the day to be comfortable outside, but it was still late August. Akechi cleared his throat, turning back to his dessert and taking a bite. He still had quite a bit left. "And how does this review fair, Mr. Critic?"

Akechi gave a gentle chuckle and looked back to Akira. "Good. Very good."

Akira's smile grew when he noticed a little bit of whipped cream at the edge of the detective's cheek. Without breaking eye contact, he handed Akechi a napkin from his lap. The boy took it, turning away, wiping his mouth.

"Ah.. Thanks."

Akira watched a few kids run by them, laughing and hollering at each other. He tried to imagine Akechi as a kid, all chubby cheeked and happy. Guessing by what few details Akechi had divulged to him about his childhood, he presumed the likelihood of Akechi having baby photos was pretty low.

"This Phantom Thieves investigation has everyone at the office running around like crazy," Akechi sighed, frowning down at his dessert, "after the whole Medjed incident, the culprit seems more elusive than ever." Oh, if only the detective realized who he was talking to. Akira nodded in understanding.

"Is that what has you so tired?"

"Yes, I suppose that's correct." Akechi took another bite to truncate his statement.

"We don't have to stick around for long if you want to get home and get some rest." Makeup could only do so much, and the late afternoon lighting was not doing Akechi any favors. Akira thought the boy might pass out if he wasn't careful.

"No, no, I'm fine, Kurusu-kun." Akechi looked up at him, seeming genuinely surprised that Akira expressed concern for his well-being. "Thank you for… coming with me today, I needed this." Akira choked on his heart trying to jump out of his throat. It took him a few seconds to recover, earning a pleased expression on the brunettes face as the older teen chewed another bite of confection. What was that about?

"That's what friends are for, isn't it?"

It was Akechi's turn to choke.

"Friends? Is that what you consider us to be?"

"Yeah, why not?" Akira grinned, leaning back and resting his closest elbow on the back of the bench, a suggestive brow raised. "Why, would you call it something else?" Damn his compulsive need to flirt to diffuse tension. It was definitely not advisable to flirt with the detective spearheading the police efforts to catch him, but there was something about the twinkle in the other’s burgundy eyes and the quirk at the corners of his lips that made too much sense. 

"I've never really thought about it," Akechi responded plainly. "friendship isn't a luxury that has ever been available to me."

"Well, that's fine, isn't it? Because I have an overabundance of friendship to give, and you're prime real estate." He thought Akechi might choke for real by the way he sputtered.

“That’s.. one way to put it, I suppose.” Akechi took a sip of his own water to recover and hiding the red tinge of his cheeks. Akira couldn’t help it, it was so fun to press Akechi’s buttons. 

“Think you’ll be on the friend market anytime soon?” Akira cracked a wicked grin, which received a sly grin from the brunette. He sure liked that face.. he could get used to this.

“Not if you’re the one buying.”

Akira clutched his chest, an overdramatic, pained expression on his face.

“You wound me.”

“Shame,” Akechi chuckled, “I was looking forward to having my friendship purchased by way of desserts.” The smirk on the detective’s face as he finished his crepe wasn’t exactly what Akira would call a smile, but he would pick that expression over the multitude of pre-approved polite grins that Akechi always kept on his face. 

“That can be arranged.”

\----------

“I’m not sure why it surprised me, I just couldn’t visualize you wanting to study here of all places.” Akira mumbled, adjusting his glasses and watching Akechi take off his school uniform jacket, hanging it on the back of the wooden chair in front of him. Akira certainly wasn’t upset at Akechi’s choice of location, in fact, he loved libraries. Especially libraries that weren’t at Shujin where he could be verbally harassed by squeamish students whispering to each other loud enough that he could hear them from all the way across the room. Charming.

Speaking of charming, Akira had only been to this library once or twice before, but he had never been to the top floor, and wow, he sure was missing out. The east and west walls of this floor were glass from top to bottom, looking out over the streets of Shibuya some 4 or 5 floors below. It was overcast today, the diffused late afternoon sunlight casting its melancholy over the city and its residents, and Akira found himself distracted for a few moments by the pedestrians walking by. Akechi had claimed a table in the far back corner where the west windows met the rest of the building, and his, dare he say friend, had chosen the seat facing the wall. Akira followed at a distance, quickly distracted by the windows and coming to a stop to watch the world pass by outside. Akira's grip tightened on the strap of his school bag, and he turned his gaze back up to Akechi, but he was caught off guard by the sight before him.

Akechi was right next to him, watching the people meander by outside, arms crossed in light scrutiny, his face neutral. There was nothing unusual about him, but Akira felt his chest tighten. It was obvious to even the casual observer that Akechi was attractive, it was part of the reason for his nickname as Detective Prince, but the soft glow of early Fall really complimented his features. His chestnut colored hair framed his cheekbones perfectly, long lashes hiding deep red eyes. Akira found himself wondering how to describe the color of them accurately. Akechi's gaze traveled up to his and he gave a lopsided grin, a brow raised.

"It's called a research paper for a reason, Kurusu-kun," he responded in a hushed tone. Akira felt a shiver tickle down his spine. He closed his jaw. He was staring, wasn't he.

Akira brushed his previous awed expression off, skirting around Akechi at a comfortable distance and setting his books down at his seat across from the detective. It was gonna be a rough couple hours if Akira couldn't get a handle on his thoughts. He had never felt so flustered in front of… well, anyone really, certainly not the Detective Prince who flipped through his catalogue of fake smiles like one of those viewfinder toys from the 90s. He looked up to find Akechi watching him from where he stood, expression back to neutral.

"You've got a point," Akira raised a questioning brow, "but you have tons of places where you could go to be alone. Why here?" Akechi closed his eyes, walking back over to their table, pulling out his chair, and taking a seat.

"I can't very well get any research done at my school's library if it's closed." Akechi nodded towards the clock on the wall. It was well past after school hours. "Besides, is it such a crime to want to spend time with you?" There was that twisting feeling in his stomach again. Akira sat down in his seat across from the detective.

"Of course not. I have homework, too." Akira opened up his school bag, pulling out his calculus textbook. Akechi said nothing but gave an affirmative nod, opening up his suitcase and taking out a few notebooks and papers. He grabbed a sticky note with some book titles scribbled onto it, stood up, and disappeared into the aisles of books, leaving Akira to stew in his own confused thoughts. He was glad that Akechi seemed determined to put in some good effort today. He wasn't sure his mind could handle playing intellectual hockey with the detective trying to catch him and his friends today.

Akechi returned with a few heavy reference books a couple minutes later, and together, they enjoyed a comfortable silence for what felt like at least an hour, punctuated by Akira stealing glances at the detective as he worked. No matter how sneaky he felt he was being, Akechi seemed acutely aware of whenever Akira's gaze traveled from integrals to the sharp angles of the other's shoulders because every time, his Award Winning Smile #2 slipped onto his face without losing concentration on his writing. Akira was almost impressed.

Akira could feel his legs already starting to cramp up. He got up, leaving Akechi at the table, and explored the floor of the library.

It...was a library. Bookshelves filled with books organized into rows, as ordinary as any other public library he had ever been to, but something about it was pleasing to Akira. He wasn’t sure if it was the aesthetic of books in order on a shelf, or the scent of paper that saturated the room, or the quietness of the floor that they were on, nearly abandoned by everyone else. It occured to Akira that perhaps Akechi liked this place specifically for that reason.

Akira wandered through the isles, reading the spines of books on foreign languages, world history, and finance. He paused in the psychology isle, finding Akechi standing in the isle, reading a book cradled in his arms, a pensive look on his face. Akira wished he had a camera to capture the moment, but having left his phone at the table, he instead approached quietly, peeking over the detective's shoulder.

"Whatcha reading?"

Akechi glanced at Akira before turning the book over to its cover.

"It's a biography on Dr. Karl Jung. He is the topic of my paper, after all." Akechi went back to inspecting the books on the shelf.

"Ah…" Akira's eyebrows raised at the 4 books Akechi stacked in his arms. "How long is this paper supposed to be?"

"It's a term paper. Many pages." The brunette chuckled, slipping past Akira and heading back towards their table, bringing the book with him. Akira followed him back to their table, a mess with papers and books of various topics, including calculus which Akira still had to finish.

“The term just began two weeks ago and you’ve already got a huge paper?”

“I’ve got to get an early start whenever possible,” Akechi replied, his gaze on his paper unfaltered, “the tumultuous nature of my work means I need to take every opportunity I can to get my work done a soon as possible. Anything could happen at any time.” 

Akira sighed, not wanting to argue, and picked up his pencil again. They resumed their positions, Akechi working diligently and Akira pretending to for another solid 30 minutes before Akira thought he was going to go stir-crazy.

Akira gave a big yawn and stretched his arms above his head.

"What time is it?"

Akechi glanced at his wristwatch before going back to writing.

"7:30."

"What? Really?"

Akechi paused, looking up at a surprised Akira.

"Yes… Is there a problem?"

"No, I'm just surprised how quickly the time passed."

"Ah, well," oh, there was Award Winning Smile #6, "time flies when you're having fun?" Briefly, Akira wished he could see Akechi's real smile. The one that crinkled the skin around the brunette's eyes and left Akira unable to breathe properly.

"Oh yeah," Akira rolled his eyes, "Calculus. What a hoot." His sarcasm didn't seem to sit well with Akechi who sat up straighter, a crease in his brow.

"My apologies, Kurusu-kun, I just…" he paused, staring at the pencil in his hand, "I guess I just wanted to spend time with you is all. My schedule makes it very difficult as you know. I suppose I should be more grateful that you're willing to sit here and stare at me for several hours."

"I wasn't staring." Akira played with his fringe. "And I didn't mean anything by it. I'd be happy to spend time with you anywhere."

That seemed to quiet the detective for now, as he returned to his books with an affirmative hum in response. A comfortable silence washed over them for an indeterminate amount of time. Akira blinked hard down at his textbook. He felt like his eyes would pop out of his skull if he had to look at one more second or third derivative.

Akechi readjusted his posture, leaning forward and resting his chin on his right hand. Today, Akira learned that the detective had a habit of chewing on his pencils. It shouldn't be cute, but here Akira was, stealing glances whenever he thought he could get away with it. 

Akira felt something brush his foot so he quickly pulled his feet in closer to himself, expecting Akechi to get up again and hiding his surprise when the detective didn't move. He thought maybe it was a mistake before he felt contact again, this time a little more persistent. If that didn't make Akira's thoughts spiral, he didn't know what would. He continued to stare down hard at his homework, twirling his pencil between his fingers to calm his nerves and distract from... whatever was happening under the table.  
Akira felt Akechi's shoe slot itself in between his own, their ankles pressed together. Akechi turned the page of the book he was reading. It was innocent enough that if Akira questioned him about it, the brunette could simply shake it off with a quick apology, feigning that he didn't realize that was Akira. Damn, Akechi had one hell of a poker face. Oh well. Two can play at that game.

Ever so slowly, as if trying to catch a wild animal, Akira flexed his foot, the top of his shoe rubbing against Akechi's ankle. Akechi let out a gentle sigh, tilting his head to read the opposite page of his book. Akira let out a sigh of his own. That beautiful bastard would be the death of him.

Akechi went back to writing his notes, and Akira was so pleased to see a tiny smile had cracked the detective's features. A tiny smile, but a genuine one. Perhaps…

Akira gave into temptation, rubbing comforting circles against Akechi's ankle. To his credit, Akechi gave no tells except for his free hand curling into a fist, leaving Akira to search his own brain for any possible motive.

What would make Akechi Goro, third year high school student, Detective Prince, and mastermind of the Phantom Thieves criminal case, want to play footsies with him in a deserted library? Surely, Akechi didn't...feel anything for him...right? That would be silly. Although, Akira was, as far as he could tell, Akechi's closest confidant. Maybe it wasn't such a stretch. The thought made his head swim and that sick feeling returned to his chest. He needed to calm down, and stop jumping to conclusions.

Akechi Goro was by far the most complicated person he had ever met, but if listening to the detective explain his process of deductions for the past however many months they had known each other had taught him anything, it was that a person's motive was most often the simplest explanation. So then, what was the simplest explanation here? Akira’s mind went blank.

He must be touch deprived.

It made a lot of sense. Akechi had explained his childhood in vague detail in the past; about how his mother had died and his good-for-nothing father was never in the picture. How he had been passed around foster care, until he was eventually old enough to secure his own living wages.

The thought made Akira's chest tighten again. This boy was just out here craving some good old fashioned affection and support. Akira could handle that. 

Akira pressed a bit more confidently, his other foot nudging Akechi's free one. The tip of his other shoe slipped up under the hem of Akechi's khakis and..

Akechi pulled back, nearly jumping out of his seat. He quickly gather most of the books and carried them off in a poorly disguised rush, his face a light shade of pink. After coming back down from adrenaline and surprise from Akechi's reaction, Akira couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter, covering his face to keep quiet even if there was no one else around.

After a few minutes, Akira saw Akechi turn the corner at the far end of the bookcase nearest the windows, reading the spines on the bookshelves with his arms crossed. He looked significantly more composed with his poker face back on. Damn it, it was downright unfair how cute the brunette was, detective or not.  
Akira turned to stare out the window. It was dark now, lights from the city below starting to turn on. He should probably eat something soon.

Akira smiled, standing up and casually walking over to Akechi who pretended not to notice him. If he wanted to, he could surely hold what had just previously transpired over Akechi's head for leverage, but he wasn't that cruel. He'd rather use it to get closer, anyway.

"Are you hungry?" Akechi turned to look at him, a brow raised.

"Ah...I suppose I could eat. What did you have in mind?" he mused, absentmindedly flipping through the pages of a book on spiders he had picked up to pretend he was distracted.

"Whatever you want. I'll buy." Akechi seemed surprised by that, but a grateful if teasing grin spread across his face.

"Sushi?"

"Sushi it is." He'd have to remember to get some tuna for Morgana, too, or he would be culled in his sleep.

"Conveyor belt, right?" Akechi asked in a skeptical tone, putting the arachnid book back on the shelf.

"We can go wherever you want." Akechi's face lit up like at that, and Akira adored the look of genuine excitement.

"Anywhere?"

"Anywhere."

"C'mon then, I'm starving." Akira couldn't hide the affectionate smile plastered onto his face as he watched Akechi quickly return to their table and pack up their things. He hoped Akechi would pick somewhere with tables and not a bar.

\----------

Akira tapped the tip of his shoe against the asphalt of an alleyway tucked into the streets of Shibuya, his back against the concrete wall, cooled by the early October chill. He stared up at the narrow strip of night sky visible the cracks between the buildings. The only thing he ever missed about his home in the countryside was not his parents, his schoolmates, or even the relaxed atmosphere of the sleepy town hidden away in the countryside but the stars that streaked over the sky like the fine spray of paint that adorned Yusuke’s drop cloths. Akira supposed the dull, speckless void that loomed overhead here was a manifestation of the depression from his hometown following him into Tokyo, just barely out of reach as he surrounded himself with found family, friends, and a rival that, for once in his mediocre life, actually made him feel needed and desired.

Speaking of rivals, the door to his right opened, spilling light into the alley like a tidal wave, and out stepped Goro Akechi, fresh out of another TV interview and looking as sparkly as ever. Well, as sparkly as someone could in a dark, dimly lit alleyway.

The teen let out an exhausted sigh. Akira didn’t need a flashlight to be able to tell that he was thoroughly fatigued, and Akira couldn’t blame him either. Having to go on TV nearly once a week would be the death of him. He admired that about the other. Akechi glanced around, a hand in his pocket, his burgundy eyes still adjusting to the dark.

“Hey there, Mr. Detective.” Akira smiled, placing a hand on the brunette’s shoulder. Akechi jumped, letting out a squeak of surprise and whipping his head around to look at the raven, eyes wide.

“Akira!” He let out an exasperated huff. “When I didn’t hear from you yesterday, I didn’t expect you to show up.” To his credit, he recovered fairly quickly, unruffling his feathers like a proud crow. Akira smiled, letting go of his shoulder and shoving his hands in his pockets.

“I’m sorry for not responding, I’ve been very busy lately,” Akira tilted his head a little, a brow raised, “but you know I’d never miss a chance to spend time alone with you in person.” Akira was not about to admit to a detective that the only reason he was able to be here was a relaxing massage courtesy of his homeroom teacher after he and the Thieves spent all day yeeting themselves through Okumura’s palace. Akechi gave an indignant huff in response, refusing to acknowledge the flirty edge to Akira’s words.

“Fine then. You’re lucky I didn’t give away my spare ticket. Shall we?” The detective turned and began walking towards the main street, and Akira followed. It was almost embarrassing how well Akechi had managed to get Akira wrapped around his little finger like a dog tethered by a leash. Or perhaps a red string of fate. He caught up to the detective, walking side by side towards the train station.

“How did your interview go?”

“Ah, that.” Akechi’s face was neutral, but after knowing him for these past few months, Akira could discern some anxiety in the droop of his shoulders. “Sometimes it feels like they’re all the same, you know?” Akira nodded encouragingly. “I suppose it can’t be helped. After the Medjed incident, the media just wanted all the drama they could dig up.”

“I’m sorry I brought it up then. I’ll buy you a drink to cheer you up, hm?” Akira threw a genuine smile at the blank faced distraught detective, earning him a sly half smile, turned away and refusing to look at him.

“You better, that ticket is expensive.”

“I’ll get you whatever you want.”

“Don’t say that, I’ll buy the whole menu.”

“Oo, an expensive date, are we?” That one got an eyeroll out of Akechi and a shake of his head to hide the humored smirk on his face.

“Do you flirt with all of your friends like this, Kurusu-kun?”

“Rest assured, this is all for you.” Another eyeroll and a blush hidden behind chestnut locks. Luckily for the brunette, their conversation was slightly derailed as they swiped their rail passes, walking through the ticket gates at Shibuya station to stand upon the train platform for the line to Kichijoji. They didn’t wait long as the next train rolled up just a few seconds after. There weren’t a lot of people on the train and there were plenty of empty seats, but Akechi would prefer to stand regardless, so Akira accommodated by standing next to him.

“You don’t have to stand just because I am.” Akechi said in a hush, polite of the other passengers. Akira smiled, his free hand combing through his fringe. The doors to the train closed, preparing to leave the station.

“Is it a crime to want to stand next to you, detective?”

“Keep it up and I’ll arrest you for stealing my heart, Kurusu-kun.” Oh damn, flirting with the detective was fun, but receiving flirtation in return was even better. They were just having fun, Akira had convinced himself the butterflies he felt was just the exhilaration of flirting with the detective trying to put him in jail. The train began to move, knocking them both off balance. Akira’s free hand gripped Akechi’s waist to help him balance. Akechi gave him a polite smile and a quiet thanks in return, adjusting his grip on the overhead bar. He glanced around at the few other passengers who were paying no attention at all.

“Are you accusing me of being a Phantom Thief, detective?” Akira asked with a small smirk. Akechi turned back to him with a pleased look on his face.

“I’m not ruling out the possibility. Now hush, we’re on a train.” Akira dropped his hand from Akechi’s waist, adjusting his glasses. The train ride was short and quiet, and the two stood together in relative silence. Akira thought it was cute how Akechi pretended to be on his phone and not staring at Akira when he wasn’t looking.

Akira had been to Kichijoji before with Akechi and had even been to the jazz club before but never for a show. He was glad he had changed out of his uniform into some nicer clothes. Akira had to admit that jazz was not his favorite genre of music, but by the grand piano set on the stage, it looked like it was going to be a fun time.

They had arrived comfortably early, a consequence of Akechi’s ever persistent punctuality, a trait that Akira had to admit he found admirable. Trying to get all of the Phantom Thieves anywhere on time was like trying to herd sheep and Akira detested being late, so Akechi was a breath of fresh air in that sense.

Their bar height table was just large enough for the both of them, fairly close to the wall, but with such a small venue, Akira was certain there were no dead seats in the house. He took the seat nearest the wall, and looked up to find Akechi flashing a genuine smile at him, his elbow on the table and chin in his hand. Akira felt like he might disintegrate right there. It was unfair what such a small gesture from the older teen could do to him. Akira rose a questioning brow, leaning forward and placing his crossed arms on the table.

“What?” Akira asked in a hush, “You look like you want to say something.” Akechi’s smile became more demure at his acknowledgement.

“Oh, it was nothing. I was just thinking, that’s all.”

“Thinking about what?” There was a pause before Akechi relented.

“I’m… grateful, I suppose. I mean, we met completely by chance back in June. I could never have predicted that just a few months later, I would have the liberty of calling you my friend.” Such flowery words. It was rare for Akechi to be so forwardly affectionate.

“Same here.” Akira returned his smile in earnest. “Friends? With the handsome detective on TV? What a pipe dream.” Akechi nudged him with his elbow.

“If this is a pipe dream, then I should arrest you for illegal substances.” That got a chuckle out of both of them before their waitress came over. Akechi ordered the most expensive non-alcoholic drink on the menu, because of course he did, and Akira settled for a simple iced tea. When their waitress left, Akechi gave him a smirk and a wink.

“Thanks for the drink, Kurusu-kun, I appreciate it.”

“Keep humoring me and there’s more where that came from.”

“Humoring you? Is that what you think this is?” Akechi’s brow feigned concern, a sarcastic grin on his face. Akira leaned closer to him, returning his grin in earnest.

“I thought maybe this was a date.” Akechi stepped up to the challenge, leaning in closer as well, taking the bait.

“A date? With me? You must be dreaming.” That one got a snicker out of the raven.

“If this is a dream, I don’t want to wake up.” Oo, it looked like Akechi was weak to that one by the way his hand threaded through his bangs to hide his blush.

“You really are persistent with this aren’t you? What are you after?”

Akira’s smile softened.

“Are you asking if I have ulterior motives? Of course not.” Akira adjusted his glasses. “I just enjoy teasing you, is all.”

“Teasing, eh?” Akechi’s smile returned, “You sure are persistent about it.” Akira shrugged in response. Their waitress returned with their drinks, an iced tea and some kind of fruity lemonade. Akira rose an eyebrow at it once their waitress was gone.

“Didn’t picture you as a lemonade kind of guy.”

“And I didn’t picture you as such a harlot, but here we are.” Akira couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped, covering his mouth to stifle it as Akechi watched him, sipping his drink with a raised brow.

“Gee, thanks.”

The MC chose that moment to walk out on the stage and begin introducing the performers, stealing Akechi’s attention away from him. Akira took a sip of his tea, and leaned back, an arm around the back of the detective’s chair. Akira pretended not to notice when Akechi leaned back, soaking in the contact and applauding for the musicians taking the stage. He hoped the positive vibes emanating from his friend would last long after they parted for the evening.

\----------

Joker slipped past the safe room door, slamming it shut behind him and leaning against it, heaving breaths crashing through his chest. They knew Sae's palace would be tough, but they weren't expecting to get ambushed by that many shadows all at once. His teammates were spread over the room, stools overturned, Ann and Morgana rushing between the injured, wrappers of healing items flying every which way.

Joker pressed his ear to the door, listening for the shadows that were chasing them to leave. After he failed to hear any movement from outside, he let out a sigh of relief, peeling himself away from the door and limping over to flop onto a bench next to Crow. The other teen seemed to be holding up better than most, but there was no mistaking the exhausted panting and soreness in his joints as he scooted over to give Joker more room, turning his bony knees away. The seat was hardly big enough for both of them side by side, but there were no other seats in the room.

"We lost them, hm?" Crow asked, taking his mask off to rub his forehead and run a hand through his hair. Joker nodded in response, splayed out across the seat, wincing as he stretched out his legs and resting his head against the wall behind them. They were all going to need quite a while to recover. "That's good," Crow replied, leaning back as well, his back resting up against Joker's shoulder, "At least we still have quite a while before the deadline yet to go."

Joker shook his head dismissively at Morgana, who came over, offering the two of them bandages, waving the cat (not a cat) off. Crow refused in a similar manner, his mask in his lap.

It seemed Yusuke and Haru had taken the brunt of the damage, the former laying face down on the table as Ann force fed him a granola bar, and the latter was seated on a chair, her knees pulled into her chest, panting in between sips of tea. The group's overall morale was pretty low; Joker decided then they should retreat for today.

The chaotic energy of the room died down over the next 10 minutes or so. It seemed like everyone had bandages all over, but Morgana was able to confirm that nothing was broken and they would all be okay after a long rest.

His gaze fell to Futaba on the opposite side of the room, laying on her stomach and typing away at her laptop. Their investigation of the Detective Prince’s motives had begun only a few days ago, but there was already enough evidence to suggest that Crow was out for blood and targeting him specifically. Joker thought of billiards tables and pool chalk. Crossword puzzles and eraser shavings. The electricity of staring directly into the others’ eyes at LeBlanc, on the train, on the street, on the top floor of a library. Text messages at 2 AM with the brightness turned all the way down so Morgana wouldn’t notice. Surely it couldn’t have just been a trap, right? Had Akechi really been after him all these months? The detective couldn’t have known about his true identity back then, right? Was the detective’s friendliness and affections really all lies? Maybe if he just pushed a little harder, more persistently, he could sew seeds of doubt in the other’s mind without being noticed...

Breaking the prolonged stillness from their side of the room, Joker tried pulling himself up from where he was slumped, more or less, against Crow, back to back. He felt his teammate's hand press against his back, giving him a gentle boost.

"Thanks," he murmured, reached into the group's bag of supplies and pulling out a thermos. He felt Crow watch him with curiosity as he unscrewed the lid and poured some out into the cup.

"Coffee? From LeBlanc?"

Joker nodded, taking a sip. It was still hot, steam tickling his nose as he admired the flavor. He put a lot more cream and sugar than he personally preferred, but it wasn't terrible. Joker offered his cup to Crow with a tired smile. Neither moved for a few seconds, just long enough to taste the nearly tangible tension between the two of them, pressed shoulder to shoulder. Joker had the distinct feeling of being glad that no one else was watching them, all of them preoccupied with their own snacks, each other, or, like Ryuji, snoozing. The only noise was the occasional wrapper crinkle and the clickety clack of Oracle's laptop as she typed. Crow quietly cleared his throat.

"Ah...uhm, thanks." White suede fingers brushed red velvet hands as Crow accepted the offer, taking the cup to his lips and having a sip. It felt like an intimate gesture, sharing a drink with the detective in such a way. Of course, Joker would share drinks with any other the other thieves without a second thought, but for some reason, sharing with Crow...  
Joker had to look away from the face Crow made after his first sip or risk showing the detective his newfound ability to turn the same shade of red as his gloves. Seeing genuine gratefulness on features that usually only betrayed a stiff interpretation of grace was enough to make Joker's heart clench. Crow was a regular at LeBlanc, and sometimes it felt like the brunette spent more time in the little coffee shop pressing him for refills and trying his luck at chess than he did his own apartment.

"..It's really good. Did you make this?" Crow's voice was barely above a whisper as he stared into his tea cup. Joker saw the opportunity to flirt and jumped on it.

"It's your favorite." He offered a shy smile, leaning harder against Crow's side, resting his head against the wall behind them.

"So it is." Joker couldn't see his face, but if the redness of his ears were anything to go by, he'd say his comment went over well enough. Crow leaned against him in return, taking another sip. The cup was almost empty already.

"Want some more?" Joker asked, picking up the thermos and receiving an eager nod in reply. He filled up the cup and set the thermos on the bench between his legs. Crow quickly downed half of it, earning a chuckle from the raven.

"Ah, I'm being rude; Do you want any?" Crow offered the cup back to him. More gloved fingers brushing.. Was it hot in here? Hopefully, it was just the coffee. Joker chose to swallow the lump in his throat by taking a sip of the overly sweetened beverage, not bothering to turn the cup around to the opposite side. Crow's gaze widened and he looked away when he realized that it wasn’t a mistake, hiding his face but leaning back again, resting against Joker. He fiddled with his mask in his lap.

Joker heaved a big sigh, stretching like a cat after a nap, trying to force himself to relax. He turned slightly, resting his back against the wall and leaned on Crow, laying his head on the older Thief’s shoulder. He could feel Crow stiffen at the action, and he quietly swallowed his own disappointment. He was rarely the one to initiate contact, but Crow had never reacted in such a way before, even if he thought Joker wouldn’t notice. Luckily, Crow made no move to dislodge him, so he took the opportunity to press closer, getting comfortable and closing his eyes. It took a few seconds, but Crow did eventually come around to him, tension leaving his back and shoulders and sinking into the touch, folding his arms across his chest and leaning his head back against the wall.

While he knew the other Thieves were aware of their blossoming friendship before the detective had blackmailed them into joining their team, this was quite a jump in physical contact and public affection from the occasional hand on shoulder or hand on knee involved in infiltrating a palace. Joker opened one eye to check for damage control, but the only one who seemed aware of them was Makoto who was seated right next to Haru and rubbing the beauty thief’s back encouragingly. She gave Joker a skeptical look, but he closed his eyes again, ignoring her, demonstrating his confidence in his decision. Hopefully, that would be enough to deter her. Akechi’s eyes must be closed, too, or he definitely would have said something.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few more minutes before the rest of his team began to stir.

"It's getting pretty late, and we're all in pretty bad shape." Makoto knelt down next to Joker, putting away the empty thermos and cleaning up the rest of the trash littering the room.

"Let's retreat for today. We still have well over a week and a half until the investigation." Joker moved to sit up from his position nestled up next to Crow, but instead of freeing himself, Crow seemed to follow him as he moved. He turned to look at the male whose eyes were closed, arms crossed. "Crow?"

"Hm." Crow frowned, shifting sideways, following the Joker's warmth as he tried to move away. The raven couldn't help but smile at the older teen dozing off next to him. He heard giggling coming from the table in the middle of the room. Looks like he wouldn’t get away without some teasing.

"Looks like it's bedtime for Crow." Panther quipped, politely hiding a smile behind hand. Skull sat up, lifting his chin off the table and looking over his shoulder at them.

"Oi, I think Joker's got a cuddle buddy." Skull teased, smirking at Joker who rolled his eyes. The guy was just tired. It didn't mean anything, right?

"Crow," Joker shook his shoulder, whispering in a soft tone, "c'mon, it's time to go home." The brunette stirred, unfolding his arms and reaching up to rub his forehead only to be blocked by the mask on his face.

"Huh? Oh, sorry." He sat up quickly, stretching his shoulders and hiding a yawn behind a sigh. He looked up at Joker before his gaze was pulled to Panther and Skull, mumbling to each other in hushed voices, the red clad girl still hiding a giggle. He picked up his mask from his lap and placed it back on his face "What? Did I miss something?"

"Nothing." Joker smiled, giving him a hand to stand up, "C’mon, let's go home."

\----------

There was hardly 15 minutes left before closing, and LeBlanc was silent save for the ticking of the antique clock hanging on the wall above Akira's head. As much as the repetitive sound of gears turning wittled away at Akira's composure this late at night, it paled in comparison to the sight in front of him. Akechi had been here for hours already, but he hardly moved, a textbook open on the counter to keep up the appearance of studying, but the notebook beside it, open to a blank page, had yet to be touched.

What bothered Akira most wasn't the constant ticking of the clock in the otherwise silent cafe, but the expression with which Akechi stared down at his coffee cup... or, perhaps more accurately, the lack of expression. Akira couldn't parse a single emotion out of the mask the brunette was wearing, even his eyes, ever guarded but nonetheless vibrant, looked akin to that of a dead fish. The teen had been a statue ever since Akira had gone to the kitchen to wash dishes, which must have been at least a half hour ago. His gloved hands were loosely folded on the counter in front of him, ankles crossed and shoulders dragging.

Akira stood across from him, drying coffee cups with a dish towel. No signs of life from the young man. The raven was pretty sure he knew why the detective was like this, or at least, he hoped he knew why... but that also meant there was nothing he could do about it. All he could do was give Akechi someone to talk to and somewhere to go. Ironic, wasn't it? Akira glanced at the clock. 8:53 PM. November 18.

"Akechi-kun." Akira scrubbed at a particularly stubborn spot on the china, glancing between it and the art piece currently stuck to the counter that went by the name of Akechi. The art piece remained unphased. It didn't seem like this stain was going to come out so easily. He turned and placed the china onto its spot in the cabinet, tossing his towel aside and placing his hands on the counter. “Akechi-kun, I know you can hear me.” Ah, there was a blink. Maybe it was working. “Do you want to talk about it?”

A few seconds passed, and Akira noticed no change in the detective. He closed his eyes, letting out a gentle sigh and looking down at the blank notebook under Akechi’s elbow. He was certain Akechi would talk to him eventually the more he pressed him about it, but whether or not he would talk about what was actually bothering him…. Akira’s thoughts ran to burgundy eyes staring at him from behind a coffee cup and the static of knees bumping on the train. It seemed doubtful, but perhaps not impossible. The raven’s hands curled into fists as if trying to squeeze out the tension before reaching forward to rest on top of Akechi’s leather clad ones. The effect was not immediate, but like venom, the contact leeched into the brunette’s bloodstream, creeping its way up his arms and settling in his chest. Awareness crept into his veins in the same way, a twitch running up his fingers, up his shoulders, and ending with an abrupt shake of his head.

“I’m sorry, did you say something?” Akechi’s voice was rough from disuse, not surprising from how quiet he had been all evening, but the rawness of it was new to Akira. Akechi took in his surroundings, as if waking from a dream, glancing over his blank pages, the cold coffee to his left, and finally the pale fingers resting on top of his own. To Akira’s amazement, and slight apprehension, Akechi didn’t physically pull away like he expected him to, but he did pull away emotionally by following up with “I suppose I’m just concerned about Sae, is all. I’ve never stolen a heart before.”

How ironic. The detective had stolen Akira’s heart months ago. Akira offered a smile which he intended to be genuine but came out as more of a smirk.

“There’s nothing to worry about. Sae will be just fine, and the whole team has got your back.” Summoning some social confidence from his Metaverse self, Akira unfolded his friend’s hands, both of them gazing down at the cracked leather stretched over his palms. For the first time, Akira’s fingers curled around Akechi’s in a gentle squeeze, thumbs caressing a circle across the backs of his tired hands. “You’ll never be alone.”

The silence between them was palpable this time, the detective staring holes into the joined hands as if they were a letter written in a foreign language, and they might as well have been by the unreadable look on the brunette’s face. The clock insisted on the passage of time by ticking overhead.

“That’s a novel thought, isn’t it.” Akechi turned over their hands so that Akira’s were on top, studying and memorizing them like insects pinned to a board.

“It doesn’t have to be,” Akira replied in almost a whisper, his gaze traveling back up to the detective’s face, “all you have to do is ask.”

Maroon eyes met quicksilver ones, searching for something. Akira couldn’t help but admire Akechi’s long lashes and high cheekbones. He really was unjustly beautiful. A rehearsed but not entirely fake smile slid its way onto the older teen’s features, and he sat up straighter with a gentle huff. Akira wondered if Akechi found what he was looking for.

“I look forward to your continued support then, Kurusu-kun.” Akechi let go of Akira’s hands, reaching to put his books away and avoiding eye contact. Akira felt very aware and unsure of what to do with his hands for a few seconds, pulling then into his core, his right hand massaging at his left wrist. He watched the detective lock his suitcase and stand up, pushing in his chair. Akira exited from behind the counter, passing in front of the Sayuri and pausing next to the door. Sensing the raven’s hesitance, Akechi stopped and looked up at him. Caught in a stalemate, waiting for the other to flinch. Tick, tick, tick.

Akira opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat, so instead, he reached up, sweeping Akechi’s fringe out of his face. Receiving a stunned expression but no effort to retreat, Akira closed the distance between them, cupping the brunette’s cheek and admiring the flushed color breaking out across his face even under all that makeup.

“Akira...” Akira could almost see the mask that Akechi was wearing crack in that moment, and he wondered if the brunette might unravel if he just pulled a little harder at the threads. Akira chased it, pulling the other closer, pressing their foreheads together. He found the adrenaline to speak.

“You don’t need to be afraid.” The raven closed his eyes, sadness pulling the corners of his lips into a smile. Akechi closed his eyes, and his grip on his suitcase tightened. Akira felt a shaking hand over his own, holding it against his cheek, and ever so slightly leaning into the touch. They stayed like this for just long enough for Akira to consider the possible consequences of pulling the other even closer, the trudging of the clock louder with every passing second before the other spoke for him.

“I have to go.”

The next moment, he was gone, leaving behind the chimes of the café’s door and a budding frigid absence.

Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick.

Gathering the fractured pieces of his mind, Akira looked down to the floor, shaking his head. His body moved on autopilot, opening the door, flipping the open sign to closed, and closing it again before he could visualize Sojiro getting mad at him for letting in the cold November air. 

Akira headed toward the kitchen and paused next to Akechi’s seat at the counter. He wanted to wish that the detective was still seated there, but the image of plugging holes in a concrete dam with his fingers only for the crack to spread over the surface like a spider web came to mind instead. He only had so many fingers.

His gaze slid across the counter to the coffee cup Akechi had left behind. The boy had taken hardly more than a few sips. The tan colored liquid stared back at him.  
Akira nearly jumped out of his skin when the antique clock began to play its hourly melody. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he had failed.


End file.
